Israel buries former PM Ariel Sharon

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Israel on Sunday bid farewell to its former prime minister Ariel Sharon, one of the most prominent military generals in the country’s history and a controversial figure who died after being in coma for eight years.

Israel honoured Sharon with a three-part state funeral, beginning in the Knesset (Parliament) plaza and ending with his burial at his Sycamore Ranch, the family home in the Negev.  Sharon, who died on Saturday at the age of 85 after eight years in a coma following a severe stroke at the height of his power in 2006, was buried next to his wife Lily in a ceremony that attracted tens of thousands of mourners from across the political spectrum.  Security was on high alert for the funeral given its close proximity to the Gaza Strip ruled by Islamist Hamas.  The Knesset ceremony was attended by dignitaries from around the world, including US Vice President Joe Biden, former British prime minister Tony Blair, Czech Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Russian Duma Chair Sergey Naryshkin.  President Shimon Peres eulogised Sharon as a “friend, leader and general.”  “Our great leader, rest in peace. The land from whence you came will embrace you in its great and warm arms of the history of our people,” he said as Sharon’s flag-draped coffin stood on a black marble plinth.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an opponent of Sharon’s withdrawal of all troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005, hailed Sharon as “one of the greatest generals that the Jewish people and the Israel Defense Forces had ever known.”  “Israel’s independence was dependent on a generation of Jewish fighters that renewed our heritage of Jewish heroism in the land of Israel, and Sharon played a central role in building this heritage,” he said.  Biden, wearing a black Jewish skullcap, in his tribute at the Knesset, said, “The security of his people was always Arik’s unwavering mission a non-breakable commitment to the future of Jews, whether 30 years or 300 years from now.”  Biden said he had known Sharon for more than 30 years, and that as a young senator, upon being invited in to Sharon’s office, it did not take him long to understand why the general had earned the nickname of “bulldozer”.  Blair remembered Sharon as “passionate” about his country and a “giant in this land.”  Following the Knesset ceremony, a military convoy took Sharon’s coffin to Sycamore Ranch.  The convoy stopped in Latrun, where the general who fought in almost all of Israel’s wars received a special salute by IDF’s General Staff.  Following the ceremony in Latrun, which was closed to the public, the funeral procession headed to Anemone Hill, where Sharon was laid to rest beside his late wife, Lily.  At the burial, speeches were made by his sons, Omri and Gilad, and by army chief of staff Benny Gantz.  Massive screens broadcasting the funeral ceremony were placed at a distance away from the grave site to enable crowds to watch the burial.

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Attacks kill 26 during UN chief’s visit

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Fresh violence killed at least 26 people on Tuesday in Iraq, where the UN chief was on a visit urging leaders to tackle the issues driving fighting in a western province where the army is in a standoff with Al-Qaeda-linked fighters.

Police officials said the deadliest of the attacks took place at night when a car bomb exploded near a market in Baghdad’s northeastern district of Shaab, killing 10 people, including three policemen, and wounding 13 others. A car bomb also exploded in a commercial street in northwestern Baghdad, police said, killing five people and wounding 14.  Another car bomb killed four and wounded 12 in a commercial street in Baghdad’s Hurriyah neighbourhood, police said. Earlier, another car bomb exploded in a commercial street in northern Baghdad, killing three people and wounding 13 others. Near the city of Fallujah, army artillery shelled a village overnight, killing four civilians, hospital officials said.  Medics in nearby hospital confirmed the death toll for all attacks.  All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorised to release the information.  Meanwhile, the UN chief Ban Ki-moon arrived in Baghdad on a visit aimed at discussing regional issues, especially the crisis in Syria.  Ban expressed deep concern over the violence hitting Iraq’s Sunni-dominated Anbar province. “The situation in Anbar Governorate, particularly in Fallujah and Ramadi, is a source of grave concern. The security situation in Iraq is undoubtedly a source of great concern,” he told reporters during a joint press conference with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.  Iraqi security forces and allied Sunni tribesmen in Anbar have been battling Al-Qaeda fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant but have yet to recapture the city of Fallujah or parts of the provincial capital, Ramadi.  The extremist militants, emboldened by fellow fighters’ gains in the war in neighbouring Syria, have tried to position themselves as the champions of Iraqi Sunnis angry at the Shiite-led government over what they see as efforts to marginalise them.

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14012014

President Rafael Correa presents ‘surprise’ Ecuadorian UAV

POSTED ON JANUARY 14, 2014

 

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has unveiled the country’s first domestically made unmanned aerial vehicle. The drone is to help Quito fight drug traffic and will also be on sale in South America, costing “7 times less” than its Israeli equivalent.

“We have pleasant surprises… Whether you believe it or not, we are already producing unmanned aircraft,”Correa told the Ecuadorians, speaking on local television on Saturday.

The prototype drone, called the UAV-2 Gavilán (“Hawk”), has been designed by the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) to monitor borders and hard-to-reach areas, like the Amazon rainforest, as well as for assisting investigations.

It took the FAE five years of research to create the surveillance drone, but the result proved to be quite a bargain. According to Correa, Gavilán’s cost is about $500,000, while in 2007 Quito had to buy six Israeli UAVs of the same type for $20 million.

The Ecuadorian drone is made of carbon fiber and wood, and operates on a gasoline engine for up to seven hours, the official news agency ANDES reported. It is capable of transmitting video and photos in real time and can land or take off automatically.

The UAV has already been tested in real missions, detecting a ship with “tons of drugs” in the Pacific last year, which it had followed six hours before the vessel was detained, Correa said.

The president said he “pressed” the Ecuadorian Air Force with the task of making a marketable model of the drone, with the aim of exporting it “at least to Latin America.”

At least four more Gaviláns will be produced by Ecuador for domestic use this year, after which the FAE will switch to producing the drones for export.

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14012014

International Happenings around 14 Jan 2014

Posted on January 14, 2014 by sagarmedia

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Egyptians vote in constitutional referendum

First ballot since military overthrew President Mohamed Morsi likely to spawn presidential bid of General al-Sisi.

Polling stations have opened across Egypt as millions of voters in the Arab world’s most populous country are set to participate in a constitutional referendum, the first ballot since the military overthrew Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

Balloting stations, surrounded by heavy security presence, were receiving queues of citizens even before the two-day vote starts. The number of eligible voters in Egypt is estimated by government officials at about 53 million.

South Korean Prez to arrive tomorrow

South Korean President Park Geun -hye will arrive in New Delhi on Wednesday on a four-day visit and will hold extensive talks with Indian leadership with India making it clear that the trade deficit and market access would be among the issues which will be flagged.

Park’s visit also comes barely days after Korean firm Poscos nearly USD 8.4 billion (Rs 520 billion) steel plant in Odisha got a nod from the Environmental Ministry, paving the way for its going ahead with operations. The South Korean President, who will be accompanied by senior ministers for foreign affairs, trade and science, will hold extensive talks with leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. While the two sides are working on some pacts to be inked during the visit, Joint Secretary incharge of the division in the External Affairs Ministry Gautam Bambawale said issues like trade deficit and more access for Indian firms in the competitive areas of IT and pharma among other issues on economic front will be raised with the Korean side.  On Posco’s project, Bambawale noted that with the environmental nod for next five years and the 2,700 acres land acquisition by the state government in place, “we can now move forward with the project in the coming weeks…and hope Posco India will commence with the project very, very soon.” However, he said instead of 12 million tonnes per annum steel production, which was originally proposed, Posco would now go ahead with a 8 MTPA steel plant for which the land had been acquired. The project, inked in 2005, was held up due to protests by local villagers over environmental concerns. Asked about the status of civil nuclear cooperation pact which was inked in 2011, Bambawale said his understanding was that though South Korea was very interested to move forward, Department of Atomic Energy was keen to first consolidate the existing deals and projects.  Referring to defence cooperation between the two countries, he said they are engaged in wide-ranging talks, as also in other spheres like anti-piracy actions in the Gulf of Aden apart from carrying out joint naval exercises.

Nepal Foreign Minister to visit India

Nepal’s Minister for Home and Foreign Affairs Madhav Prasad Ghimire will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday on a three-day goodwill visit to boost bilateral ties and meet India’s top leadership.

Ghimire, visiting India at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, will be accompanied by senior officials from home and foreign ministries.  This will be his first official visit to India since the formation of the interim council of ministers in March last year.  Ghimire told reporters in Kathmandu on Monday his three-day visit is a continuation of bilateral relations between the two neighbours and meant for strengthening bilateral ties.  He is expected to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and meet his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde during the visit.  “It is mainly a goodwill visit. Reciprocating Minister Khurshid’s Nepal visit in July last year,” he said.  Ghimire, a former bureaucrat, had played a key role in conducting the 19th November Constituent Assembly polls by providing intensified security despite boycott call by some fringe parties.

China tests new hypersonic glide vehicle

Image from darpa.mil

China has successfully tested its first hypersonic missile delivery vehicle capable of penetrating US missile defense system and delivering nuclear warheads with record breaking speeds, Pentagon officials have confirmed.

The new hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), dubbed the WU-14 was allegedly spotted flying at record-breaking speeds during a flight test over China on January 9, an anonymous Pentagon official told the Washington Free Beacon.

The new weapon delivery system is reportedly designed to be launched as the final stage of China’s intercontinental ballistic missile, which would approach its target at a velocity of up to 10 times the speed of sound. Hypersonic speed range lies between Mach 5 and Mach 10, or 3,840 to 7,680 miles per hour. 

A Pentagon spokesman confirmed the Chinese test launch but declined to provide details. 

“We routinely monitor foreign defense activities and we are aware of this test,” Lt. Col. Jeffrey Pool, a Marine Corps spokesman, told the Washington Free Beacon. 

New Congress  Chief  at Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh 

Union Minister Sachin Pilot and party MP Arun Yadav were on Monday appointed Congress chiefs in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where the party faced a defeat in the Assembly polls.

The appointment of the young faces as state chiefs is in line with Rahul Gandhi’s long-term plans to rebuild the party in the states and both the leaders are expected to be put in the states for a long haul. Pilot and Yadav belong to the OBC community, which so far the Congress has not been able to reach out to in the Hindi heartland

 

 

​Bin Laden photos to stay top-secret, as US Supreme Court refuses case

The US Supreme Court refused Monday to reverse a lower court’s ruling that deemed photos of former Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden’s corpse were properly classified as top-secret by the CIA, thus barring them from public release. The high court decided not to hear an appeal from conservative watching organization Judicial Watch, which had sought the release of the photos via a Freedom of Information Act request. The Obama administration argued that releasing the images would cause threats to US national security. In May, a federal appeals court unanimously agreed that the US government was right to classify top secret more than 50 images of Bin Laden taken after he was killed in 2011 by US special operations forces at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Google pays $3.2 billion for smart-home startup

Internet Giant Google plans to purchase Nest Labs, a smart- home automation company for $3.2 billion. Google Chief Executive Larry Page described Nest as a company that’s “delivering amazing products you can buy right now–thermostats that save energy and smoke/CO alarms that can help keep your family safe,” the statement read. Nest will continue to operate under co-founder Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive who launched the startup in 2010. Google plans to complete the deal in the next few months pending regulatory approval.

Two Britons arrested for alleged terror activities in Syria

Two Britons have been arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport in connection with terrorist activities in Syria, police announced. Both 21-year-old males were detained after arriving in Britain from a flight originating in Istanbul, Turkey. They are believed to have travelled to Syria in May 2013. Currently the two men are being questioned about their time spent in the warzone and any possible connection they might have with jihadists militants. UK’s Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday that “hundreds” of Britons are suspected of fighting in Syria while security forces are doing their utmost to monitor the situation and prevent attacks in the UK.

German diplomats survive attack in Saudi Arabia

Two German diplomats have survived an attack on their vehicle in Saudi Arabia, authorities announced. The attack occurred in the town of Awwamiyya at around 6 pm local time when unknown assailants opened fire at the vehicle, eventually burning it down. Locals helped the German nationals escape, local media reports. Authorities are investigating the incident.

Two shot in Florida movie theater assault

Two people have been shot in a movie theater, in Wesley Chapel, north of Tampa early Monday afternoon. Both victims were flown to hospital. However, there were no immediate reports on the severity of their condition. A male suspect has been taken into police custody for questioning.

Nigerian president signs off on new anti-gay law

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has signed a bill prohibiting both same sex marriage and the organization of any LGBT societies, alongside a raft of other measures targeting homosexuality. The bill, which was approved by parliament last year, was signed in secret on January 7, according to documents obtained by Associated Press. Homosexual acts had already carried a sentence of 14 years behind bars in the country, and participating in same sex marriage now results in the same penalty.

21 killed in blasts across Baghdad

At least 21 have been killed and nearly 30 wounded in a series of car bomb attacks across Baghdad on Monday. The deadliest blast killed 11 in a commercial area in the predominantly Shi’ite district of Shaab, in the east of the city. The violence coincided with a visit from the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.

Projectiles from Gaza hit south Israel after Sharon burial – military

Gaza militants fired two projectiles which struck an area close to the ranch where former Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, was laid to rest on Monday, the military said. “Two projectiles landed in an open area in the Shaar HaNegev region,” AFP quoted an army spokesman as saying. He was referring to the area around the northern border with Gaza, without specifying exactly where they struck. Media reports said the projectiles landed near the town of Sderot, which lies a few kilometers from Sycamore Ranch.

14 killed in China illegal gambling hall blast

An explosion on Monday at an illegal gambling hall in a village in southern China killed 14 people and injured seven others. The blast struck at around 2:30pm (0630 GMT) outside the city of Kaili in the poor southern province of Guizhou, Xinhua said. Police initially said it was detonated deliberately and are treating the incident as a crime.

Former Israeli PM Sharon laid to rest in state funeral

Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was laid to rest in a state funeral in Israel on Monday. The funeral, attended by leaders from Israel and around the world, began at 9:30am on Monday, the Haaretz daily reported. President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Vice President Joe Biden delivered keynote speeches. At the conclusion of the Knesset ceremony, the funeral cortege departed from Jerusalem for Sycamore Ranch, Sharon’s farm in the Negev, the site of his burial.

​Rodman says ‘sorry’ after N.Korea visit

Ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman who has just returned from Pyongyang after presenting his controversial“basketball diplomacy”, said “he’s sorry about what’s going on inside North Korea, a nation renowned for its human rights abuses.” He may have been referring to Kenneth Bae, an American missionary sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in North Korea on charges of planning to overthrow the country’s government. “I’m not a president. But I think Americans and North Koreans can actually get along,” said Rodman. The former NBA star returned from N. Korea on Monday. This is his fourth trip to Pyongyang in the past 12 months.

EU to implement all sanctions relief for Iran on Jan. 20

EU governments will implement all sanctions relief for Iran covered by a nuclear deal on Jan. 20, the day the agreement takes effect, Reuters reported. The move includes lifting a ban on insuring its oil, officials said on Monday. Under the November-24 accord, the EU will suspend a ban on insuring and transporting Iranian oil for six months, as well as a trade ban affecting the country’s petrochemicals, gold and other precious metals.

Investigators accuse Navalny of violating restriction notice

The Russian Investigative Committee says opposition leader, Aleksey Navalny, has violated the terms of his restriction notice in the Ives Rocher case, RIA Novosti reported on Monday. Investigators now have the right to ask for harsher restrictions to be imposed on Navalny, the committee said. Earlier reports said that Navalny was spotted in the Moscow region’s town of Odintsovo. However, Navalny himself and lawyer Vadim Kobzev said that the Moscow region was included in the travel restrictions.

​Treatment of jailed American prankster was unfair 

The treatment of a US national, Shezanne Cassim, 29, who spent nine months in a UAE jail for posting a 20-minute parody video mocking Dubai youth culture on YouTube was unfair, said the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. “We are not perfect and we are trying to change …we are doing our best,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum told the BBC. Cassim, who was also fined 2,700 dollars, was released last week and returned home to the United States.

Iran’s FM Zarif to meet Putin in Moscow on Jan. 16

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will travel to Moscow on Thursday for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the IRNA news agency reported on Monday. “Zarif will meet the Russian president as well as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his one-day trip to Moscow on Thursday,” said Iran’s ambassador to Moscow, Mehdi Sanaei.

Bomb damages bank branch in Budapest

A bomb blew up at the Budapest branch of the Hungarian CIB Bank in the early hours of Monday morning, Reuters reported. No one was injured, police said. The bomb went off shortly after 4am (0300 GMT), and the blast ripped off a large part of the wall of the building. The explosion was caused by an explosive device of unknown structure and substance, police said, giving no indication of any possible motive for the attack. A motorcyclist reportedly drove off from the scene. CIB Bank comes under the wing of Italy’s Banca Intesa.

India minister hails ‘monumental milestone’ in eradicating new cases of polio

India’s health minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Monday hailed the country’s success in eradicating new cases of polio as a “monumental milestone”. In 2009 India accounted for over half of the global polio burden “and today is the historic day when we have completed three years without a single case of wild polio,” AFP quoted Azad as saying. On Monday India marks three years since its last reported polio case. The country will soon be declared as having defeated polio.

Divers recover bodies of 6 killed in van crash from canal in northwest Russia

Russian divers recovered the bodies of six people on Monday who were killed after a van fell into the Novo-Ladoga Canal in the north-western Leningrad region. There were six people in the van when it smashed through a barrier and careered into the canal, Itar-Tass reported, citing rescuers. The incident took place in the region’s Kirovsky District.

UK to announce debt pledge ahead of Scotland referendum

The British government will announce on Monday that it will take responsibility for all British government debt should Scotland vote to leave the UK this year, Reuters reported citing its sources. “Essentially we would be the counterparty on any debt that was owed,” the source said. In the event of a vote for independence in September’s referendum, the UK government would seek a bilateral arrangement with the Scottish government about its share of the UK debt. Scotland will vote in September on whether to keep the 306-year union intact.

China ‘dissatisfied’ with Japan’s criticism of new fishing restrictions

Beijing on Monday expressed “resolute dissatisfaction” with a Japanese official’s comments at the weekend on new fishing restrictions imposed by China in the South China Sea. “The person who made these remarks, if he’s not ignorant, then he has ulterior motives,” Reuters quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, as saying. “This Japanese official, before making remarks, should first do some basic research and understand fully China’s laws and regulations,” she said. The new rules require foreign fishing vessels to obtain approval to enter disputed waters in the South China Sea. Japan’s Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Sunday that the regulations had left the international community jittery.

Israel, foreign leaders attend memorial ceremony for Ariel Sharon

Hundreds of Israeli VIPs and international dignitaries attended a state memorial ceremony for the late Ariel Sharon on Monday. Later on Monday, Sharon’s body was due to be taken from the Knesset to his farm in southern Israel for burial, AP reported. President Shimon Peres described the controversial politician Sharon as “a man of the land.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sharon “one of the big warriors” and said “his pragmatism was rooted in deep emotion.” Netanyahu resigned from Sharon’s government to protest the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The move uprooted soldiers and settlers from the territory after a 38-year presence in a move that Sharon said was necessary to ensure Israel’s security.

Syria FM to visit Moscow ahead of Geneva 2 conference

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem will visit Moscow ahead of the Geneva 2 international conference, the Syrian Ambassador in Moscow, Riyad Haddad, has said. The minister will be in Moscow before the conference, the envoy told Interfax on Monday. Earlier media reports stated Muallem will visit the Russian capital on Thursday, en route to Geneva.

Dubai ruler says time to ease Iran sanctions

The ruler of Dubai said on Monday that the international community should ease sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, told the BBC that “everybody will benefit” if sanctions are lifted. During a decade of sanctions, Iran has got most of the commodities and goods it needs via Dubai’s re-export market. Under a November deal, Tehran is expected to curb its nuclear activity in exchange for a limited easing of the sanctions.

Israel beefs up security for Sharon funeral near Gaza border

Israel is boosting security for former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s funeral near the Gaza border on Monday, Reuters reported. A memorial service will be held on Monday in parliament in Jerusalem and an afternoon funeral will be held near the Sharon family farm some 10km from Gaza. The former prime minister died at the age of 85 on Saturday after eight years in a coma caused by a stroke. Eighteen countries have sent delegations to the state ceremony for Sharon in Jerusalem. US Vice President Joe Biden will attend the burial at Sycamore Farm’s Poppy Hill, in the southern Negev desert.

More than 1,500 N. Koreans escape to South in 2013

The Unification Ministry in Seoul has announced that more than 1,500 North Koreans fled to South Korea last year. Five years ago the annual number of escapees was close to 3,000, but the number dropped sharply after Kim Jong-un came to power in December 2011. The number of those fleeing to the South slumped to 1,502 in 2012, and last year the figure was 1,516, AFP reported. The majority of refugees secretly cross the border to China before traveling to South Korea. Kim Jong-un’s government has tightened border security and stepped up diplomatic campaigns to have refugees hiding in China repatriated.

06:29

Russian FM urges head of Syrian National Coalition to secure SNC participation in Geneva 2

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has urged the head of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), Ahmad Jabra, to secure the organization’s participation in the Geneva 2 international conference on Syria. Lavrov and Jabra met in Paris on Sunday as preparations for the conference are continuing, RIA Novosti reported. SNC’s participation in the conference could contribute to ending armed confrontation in Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Moscow supports the start of dialogue between Syria’s factions at the conference scheduled for January 22, with the participation of delegations from the Syrian government and opposition without any preconditions.

06:12

Southwest flight lands at wrong Missouri airport

A Southwest Airlines Flight 4013, carrying 124 passengers and five crew members that was scheduled to arrive on Sunday night at Branson Airport in southwest Missouri instead landed at an airport 7 miles north. The runway at Taney County Airport, which is also known as M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport, is half the size of the intended destination. All customers and crew are safe. Airline spokesman, Brad Hawkins, did not have information on why the plane went to the wrong airport. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.

03:25

Cairo students clash with police ahead of constitution vote

Egyptian police fired tear gas at supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi during clashes at Cairo’s main universities on Sunday. Nineteen protesters have been detained and several injured. The fresh outbreak of violence comes just two days before a planned vote on a draft constitution, which will be the first vote in Egypt since the army ousted Morsi in July.

 

More than 200 South Sudan civilians drown in ferry accident

At least 200 South Sudanese civilians have reportedly drowned in a ferry accident on the White Nile river while fleeing fighting in the city of Malakal. “The reports we have are of between 200 to 300 people, including women and children. The boat was overloaded,” army spokesman Philip Aguer told reporters. “They all drowned. They were fleeing the fighting that broke out again in Malakal.” More than 1,000 people have been killed, while 230,000 have been forced from their homes over the past three weeks of fighting between government forces and those loyal to sacked Vice President Riek Machar.

Blast reported at court in Egypt’s North Giza

An explosion took place at the North Giza Court early Tuesday, Al-Ahram Arabic website reports. The blast in Imbaba, a district of Greater Cairo, happened an hour before voting in a referendum on Egypt’s amended constitution was due to begin. No injuries have been reported so far. The façade of the court was destroyed.

China court convicts former doctor of baby trafficking

A Chinese court on Tuesday convicted a former obstetrician of abducting newborn babies and gave her a suspended death sentence. The intermediate court in Weinan city said Zhang Shuxia sold seven children in the northern province of Shaanxi, AFP reported. The woman had reportedly tricked parents into giving up their babies by telling them the newborns were sick or had died. The penalty is likely to be commuted to life imprisonment. Tens of thousands of children are believed to be stolen each year in China.

Egyptians vote in constitutional referendum that could strengthen military

Egyptians vote on Tuesday in a constitutional referendum, an event likely to spawn a presidential bid by army chief General Abdel Fattah Sisi, Reuters said. The constitution will replace one signed into law by Mohamed Morsi, the former Islamist president who was deposed by the military in July. The new text strips out disputed Islamist language. The draft also strengthens state institutions that defied Morsi, including the military, the police and the judiciary.

Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy reaches New Zealand after being trapped in Antarctic ice

Russian research ship Akademik Shokalskiy, which was trapped in Antarctic ice for several weeks, arrived Tuesday in New Zealand’s Bluff port to undergo repair work. The crew members feel fine, RIA Novosti quoted Yury Volkov, director of the Far Eastern Hydrometeorological Research Institute, as saying. The ship is expected to arrive in Russia’s Far East port of Vladivostok in March or April. The Akademik Shokalskiy with 22 Russian crew members and 52 passengers on board became trapped in ice in the East Antarctic on December 24. Then Chinese icebreaker Xue Long also became trapped in thick ice. Both the Russian and Chinese icebreakers broke free on January 7.

US Congress eliminates threat of new govt shutdown, unveils $1trn spending bill

Negotiators from the US Senate and House of Representatives unveiled a $1 trillion spending bill late Monday, AFP reported. The deal eliminates the threat of another government shutdown, at least until October. The consolidated appropriations bill provides $1.012 trillion to operate the federal government, not including social services and foreign military operations. In October, a budget clash between Republicans and Democrats triggered a 16-day government shutdown. However, last month, Congress passed a compromise two-year budget accord.

Thai protesters tighten blockade around ministries

Protesters attempting to topple Thailand’s government moved to tighten the blockade around ministries on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Many ministries and the central bank were forced to work from back-up offices on Monday as protesters stopped civil servants getting to work. On Tuesday, demonstrators marched peacefully from their seven big protest camps to ministries, the customs office, and other state bodies. A student group has threatened to attack the stock exchange.